HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-03-18 - Historic Landmarks Commission Meeting Memo
MEMORANDUM
DATE: March 11, 2013
TO: Historic Landmarks Commission
FROM: Cynthia Smidt, Associate Planner
MEETING: March 18, 2013
RE: Historic Landmarks Commission Meeting / Overview
This memorandum discusses the Historic Landmarks Commission (HLC) agenda items scheduled
for March 18.
A. General Updates
1. Cline Falls Power Plant. Originally, County staff requested the HLC convene a special
meeting on March 18 to interpret and/or review the removal of “electric generating
machinery” from the Cline Falls Power Plant historic site. The subject property is under the
ownership of Central Oregon Irrigation District (COID). Pacific Power, a Division of
PacifiCorp, held a 100-year lease, using the site to generate electricity. The lease was
terminated on February 15, 2013. As part of the lease agreement, Pacific Power removed
“electric generating machinery.” Removal of the equipment was completed prior to historic
landmarks review. As a result, a code enforcement complaint was submitted to the County.
An after-the-fact review is a means of resolving the code enforcement complaint.
Since the meeting was arranged with HLC, County staff met with PacifiCorp to discuss the
issues revolving around this case. Ultimately, PacifiCorp, County staff, and COID agreed to
pursue a Declaratory Ruling request. This request is a formal process for interpreting
provisions of the comprehensive plan or zoning code, including referenced documents,
when there is doubt or dispute of its meaning or application. The County will initiate this
request and provide a recommendation before the HLC as the hearings body. The HLC
after taking testimony will deliberate and make a formal decision on the matter. The March
18 meeting will now be utilized as a work session to discuss and answer questions focusing
on the Cline Falls Power Plant case and the Declaratory Ruling process. A public hearing
will be scheduled in April or May. Two attachments are enclosed for reference. Ordinance
92-019 pertains to the 1992 adoption of the County’s Goal 5 Inventory of historic resources.
The second attachment includes Cline Falls Power Plant ESEE (Economic, Social
Environment, and Energy) Analysis.
-2-
2. Petersen Rock Gardens. Petersen Rock Gardens is under review by the State Advisory
Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP) for its National Registry nomination. The
nomination has been deferred by the SACHP committee pending some requested revisions
and will now be formally reviewed in June 13-14, 2013. As discussed in February, the
proposed improvements at the Gardens are raising concerns that the alterations could
unintentionally undermine the locally designated historic site. Planning staff, Chair
Stenman, and Commissioner Madden have been in contact with the owner of the Petersen
Rock Gardens, Susan Caward, and the Development Director, Owen Evans. Chair
Stenman and Commissioner Madden conducted a site visit on March 7, 2013. Mr. Evans
and Mrs. Caward will attend the March 18 meeting to provide an overview of the proposed
improvements. Petersen Rock Gardens historic inventory may be incomplete or vague as to
what aspects of the site are designated as historic. Furthermore, since there is a pending
nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, this property is seemingly in a state of
flux. The nomination considers the entire property as a historic site; however, it also
identifies contributing and non-contributing elements. Changes to the site may affect the
SACHP’s support for the nomination. The County’s local inventory for Peterson Rock
Gardens is not detailed like the national nomination in regards to contributing and non-
contributing elements of the property. The HLC needs to make an interpretation of what
elements of the site are considered historic. For reference, documents from the Petersen
Rock Garden property file have been included.
Attachments
1. County Ordinance 92-019
2. Cline Falls Power Plant ESEE Analysis and other documentation
3. Petersen Rock Gardens file documents
4. Petersen Rock Gardens National Registry nomination map